


home is with you

by natodiangelo



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kinda?, M/M, Snapshots, hunter x hunter secret santa 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 11:25:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13234686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natodiangelo/pseuds/natodiangelo
Summary: Christmas is creeping ever so steadily closer, and Killua isn’t ready.





	home is with you

**Author's Note:**

> this was written for [tacchnyan](tacchnyan.tumblr.com) on tumblr for the hxh secret santa!! happy holidays and i hope you have a great new year!!

Attack. He slams down on B. B B B B. Wait, block- he jumps to the left. Mashes B down again.

“Killua, to the left!”

He glances over, jumps to avoid the attack.

“Thanks.”

“You’re so good at these games, Killua.” Gon says, resting his chin on his fist. “Whenever I play, I die right away!”

“That’s cause-“ he stops, sticking out his tongue as a flurry of attacks come his way. As soon as it calms down, he presses pause. “That’s cause you don’t play ‘em as much. Just gotta practice.”

Gon pouts. “But it’s more fun to watch you play!”

“Then you won’t get any better.”

He clicks resume and jumps back into the battle.

“Can’t I just get better by- ah, what’s the word? By absorption?”

“Osmosis?” Killua offers.

“Yeah! Maybe if I just watch you enough, I’ll get better.”

“You can try.”

“I- Killua, behind you!”

He swivels the camera and jumps to the side, just barely avoiding the attack. “That was _way_ too close. Thanks.”

It only takes a few more hits before the battle is won and the game shifts to a loading screen. Killua sets the controller down and stretches out his back.

This kind of day is one of Killua’s favorites. The kind where Gon doesn’t have practice so they walked home together, where Mito is gone so they sprawl across the couch, uncaring of how close they are. The kind of day where they can just… _be._

He turns his head to look at Gon with a fond smile.

“Can I have a turn?” Gon asks.

“Yeah, just let me save.”

 

Killua shoves his hands deeper into his pockets, trying not to shiver. It’s _freezing_ out – grass frosted over, breath misting out in front of him. He shifts on the bench he’s sitting on – which feels more like a brick of ice than the wood it is – and resists the urge to check the time again.

He’s waiting for Gon to finish practice. It’s something he does frequently – waiting around the school doing homework or playing games on his phone until Gon comes running out to meet him. Usually, it’s not so bad. He can lay down on the field or curl up in a corner for a nap.

Today, however, is the coldest day of the year so far, and it’s only _November_.

Gon should be getting out soon though, and he can’t wait until they get to Gon’s house and he can warm up.

It’s better than the alternative, he thinks. Much better to be standing in the cold waiting for someone he loves than going back to _that_ place with people he despises. He won’t call _it_ home, same as he won’t call _them_ family, because they’re not.

He watches his breath mist out in front of him, watches it fade into nothing.

It’s only a few minutes later that Gon comes running out of the school, hair still wet from his shower.

(Killua yells at him that he’ll catch a cold being wet in this weather, but he can’t complain when Gon slides their fingers together and holds his hand tight on the walk home.)

 

> Gon (9:02): hey killua did u do the bio hw   
>  Gon (9:10): killua????  
>  Gon (9:23): killua i rly need it ;A;  
>  Gon (9:31): r u mad at me??  
>  Gon (9:37): killua….
> 
> Killua (9:54): oh shit sorry I was playing fe   
>  Killua (9:55): yeah just sec i’ll send you pics
> 
> Gon (9:57): killua!!!!  
>  Gon (9:57): thank you <3
> 
> Killua (9:58): <3

 

It’s late. Moonlight filters through Gon’s curtains and settles across the room like a pale blanket, safe and secure. The TV plays quietly from down the hall; the steady tick of a clock sounds from across the room.

He and Gon are chest to chest on the bed, wrapped up in each other’s arms. On the ground, long since abandoned, lays the futon Mito had laid out for Killua that evening.

Gon’s only barely awake and Killua isn’t much better, warm and comfortable and lulled by the even sound of Gon’s breathing. Gon has one hand on his head, slowly running soothing fingers through his hair and Killua doesn’t think he’s ever felt more relaxed in his whole life.

He presses his nose to Gon’s neck and takes a deep breath. When he exhales, Gon lets out a breath.

“Killua,” Gon mumbles into Killua’s hair. “That tickles.”

“Sorry.”

“’S’okay.”

It’s quiet for a minute, wind breathing against the window. Gon’s hand has stilled where it lays on his head, and Killua thinks Gon’s fallen asleep.

“Killua…” It’s softer this time, the words ghosting along the air. Killua hums acknowledgement. “I wish we could stay like this forever.”

Killua sits up a little, just enough to be able to look at him. Gon’s eyes crack open and a slow smile spreads across his face. Killua swallows. “Me, too.”

(They fall asleep wrapped up in each other. If Mito notices the next morning, she doesn’t say anything about it.)

 

Christmas is creeping ever so steadily closer, and Killua isn’t ready.

He’s already gotten a gift for Gon, yeah – tickets for a movie he wants to see, [insert] – and yeah, he thinks Gon will like it, but it just… doesn’t seem like enough.

He doesn’t know how these things work. Holidays were nothing more than seeing a few Christmas ads on TV in his rare spare time as a kid; even after a few years with Gon, he still isn’t quite sure whether this does it or not.

He wants it to be something special, because Gon’s worth it. Because Gon deserves it.

 

Gon invites him to stay the night Christmas Eve, if telling him to be there by two _or else_ is inviting. Not that it matters; he would have showed up even if Gon hadn’t said anything.

As it is, he shows up at half past one with an overnight bag, Gon’s present hidden at the very bottom of it. He stands there, shifting from one foot to the other as he waits for Gon to answer the door.

But he doesn’t.

Killua texts him, knocks on the door a little louder. Nothing.

He wonders if Gon went out somewhere, but Gon had known he was coming over, and he’s never gone out without him before, so-

And then there’s a crash and a yell from inside.

He doesn’t even really think about what he’s doing when he opens the door, but he does have a moment of clear thought where he acknowledges that the door wasn’t even _locked_ , what the _hell_ , Gon. Then he’s running inside and straight into a cloud of dark smoke.

“Gon?” He calls, waving the smoke away from his face.

“Killua?” He moves toward where he knows the kitchen is, and as the smoke begins to clear he watches the scene unfold.

Gon stands next to an open oven, from which pours smoke. A tray of something black and completely burnt lays on the ground. Gon is fanning the smoke toward an open window.

“What the hell happened?” He asks, pulling his shirt up over his nose and moving to open another window. Gon doesn’t reply, however, and averts his eyes when Killua comes back over. “Gon?”

Gon bends down and picks up the tray. As it sets it on the counter, he says, “I wanted to make cookies for you. Since you like sweets.”

Killua looks down at the tray again, and realizes that the burnt charcoal are supposed to be cookies.

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah,” Gon sighs, poking at one of the black circles. “I might have forgot to set a timer.”

“Oh, Gon.” There’s a fond feeling welling up in his chest, and he steps forward to act on it without even thinking, pulling Gon into a hug. “Thank you.”

Gon wraps his arms around his back. “I’m sorry I burned them.”

“I don’t care.” And Killua kisses him.

It’s short and sweet, and Gon sighs again when they pull apart, this time sounding more relived than anything else. He leans his head on Killua’s shoulder.

“Mito makes baking look so easy,” Gon laments. “I didn’t think I would be as good as her, of course, but I didn’t think I’d mess up _this_ bad.

“We can make some more later,” Killua tells him. “Have Mito help us.”

Gon nods against his shoulder.

 

(They do make more later, when Mito’s back from shopping and they’ve cleaned up the kitchen. She doesn’t comment on the burnt spots on her pan, and they don’t mention it.)

 

Killua’s awake.

It’s a slow thing. His dream shifts, warms, softens, and then he’s laying in bed, eyes adjusting to the dim light and trying to figure out what woke him. It doesn’t take long to find.

Gon’s gone.

The bed beside him is still warm, however, so Killua knows he hasn’t been gone long. Killua sits up and tries not to mourn the warm covers as he leaves the bed.

The bathroom is empty. Kitchen, too. Killua even peeks his head into Mito’s room to see if Gon had curled up to sleep with her, but nothing. He’s just about to go back to Gon’s room and just text him when movement from the living room catches his eye.

Gon’s sitting against the wall, knees to his chest, staring at the Christmas tree. Killua watches the reflection of the fairy lights twinkle in Gon’s eye before he walks over.

“Gon?”

Gon starts, looking around. When he sees Killua, his face breaks out in a grin.

“Killua.”

“What’re you doing out here?” Killua asks, flopping down beside him. One of Gon’s arms leaves his legs, ghosting across the floor and over to him. Killua takes his hand in his own.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Gon explains. “I think I’m just excited.”

“For Christmas?”

“Yeah.” Gon sighs, leaning his head against the wall. “Ever since I was a little kid it was just so exciting, y’know? I used to always try and stay up waiting for Santa to come. Never caught him, though.” Gon laughs. “Even when Mito told me he wasn’t real, I still wanted to stay up for some reason.”

Killua can’t say he understands the feeling Gon’s talking about but he nods anyway. Gon turns to Killua with a sigh.

“I’m sorry for keeping you awake,” He says. “We should go to bed now.”

“Or else Santa won’t come.” Killua agrees, and the laugh Gon gives sends his heart into a helpless flutter.

 

When Killua wakes next, it’s morning – actually morning, light streaming in through the curtains and the sounds of life coming through the closed door. He can hear Mito singing and Gon laughing distantly. He gets up.

The air is warm and sweet outside of the bedroom, filled with the crackle of something frying. Gon looks up when Killua walks into the kitchen, running over.

“Merry Christmas, Killua!” Gon says excitedly.

“Merry Christmas, Gon.”

“Did you sleep well?” Mito asks him from next to the stove, wiping her hands on her apron.

“Yeah,” He says, and gives Gon a pointed look. Gon is polite enough to look sheepish, but it doesn’t last; he turns to Mito with a gleam in his eye.

“Can we open presents, now?”

Mito laughs. “Let’s have breakfast, first. Then we can open gifts.” When Gon pouts, she adds, “How about you go set the table?”

“Okay…”

“What should I do?” Killua asks. Mito gives him a gentle smile.

“You’re a guest,” She says, “You can just sit down and wait for us.”

Killua blinks. “Are you sure-“

“Don’t argue with her,” Gon whispers to him as he passes by with plates in hand. “Just relax, Killua. We’ve got this!”

Killua sits down at the table, and as he waits, watching Gon move around the kitchen and Mito cook, both of them chatting amiably, he realizes how much this feels like _home._

It’s more than just dating Gon – more than just them being best friends, he thinks. They – b0th of them, Gon and Mito – are truly kind people. For a moment, Killua wishes that his parents could be more like Mito, kind and caring. But he knows that wishing does nothing, and so he just tries to appreciate this moment while he can.

As Gon passes by again, he pauses, looks over to Mito. Then he leans down and presses a quick kiss to his lips, grinning when he pulls back and continues on his way. Killua smiles down at his hands.

Even though he knows this’ll end – that eventually he’ll reach the end of his stay and have to return home – it’s enough. This is enough for him.


End file.
